The Welsh Government’s announcement of a £12.5m package to support a range of services aimed to help vulnerable children and their families whose lives have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been applauded by one of the region’s leading Childcare Solicitors.
Aishah Etoumi, a solicitor with GHP Legal which has offices in Wrexham, Llangollen, Chirk and Oswestry, said the substantial package of support announced this week will go a long way to help vulnerable families across Wales to obtain the support they need during these unprecedented and challenging times.
“I am particularly delighted to hear that, in line with a recommendation from the Commission on Justice in Wales, some of these funds will enable the development of Wales’ first Family Drug and Alcohol Court to be explored”, said Ms Etoumi.
“Family Drug and Alcohol Courts are designed to work with parents who struggle with drug and alcohol misuse and are an alternative to Family Court for care proceedings. These Courts aim to help parents address their substance misuse issues, improve family life, and reduce the need for children to enter the care system.
“As a family lawyer specialising in care proceedings I appreciate the difficulties that some parents face in tackling their substance misuse issues, so I fully welcome the exploration of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court in Wales.
“Sadly, the pandemic has hit families hard and the number of care proceedings in the family courts has increased dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic. Parents should be aware that Legal Aid is available for care proceedings and therefore shouldn’t hesitate to contact a specialist lawyer such as me if they need advice and representation.”
Article 30/10/2020